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MMA News Headlines
Jon Jones on Lyoto Machida: "He's Very Beatable"
Date submitted: 25 June 2009
Author: Jason Benfari / FiveKnuckles.com
At just 21-years-old, undefeated UFC light heavyweight top prospect Jon Jones is viewed by many to be the next big thing. Known for his solid wrestling base and unorthadox striking style, the athletic Jones pulls no punches, either in the ring or in conversation. Sergio Non of USA Today recently caught up with Jones to discuss his upcoming fight with veteran Jake O'Brien, his athletic brothers, light heavyweights Lyoto Machida and Rashad Evans, and a host of other topics. Below are some of the highlights from their conversation.
I plan on being a completely different animal than he's ever faced before. I'm just working really, really hard with my wrestling. I've watched all his fights. I think he got Andrei Arlovski down. Obviously he didn't get Cain Velasquez down, because he lost that fight, but I want to be one of the first fighters that he couldn't take down and I just want to stuff every takedown attempt that he has and push him into deep waters by keeping him on his feet. But if somehow he does take me down, I've definitely been training a lot of ground attacks from the bottom and mainly just escaping from the bottom. I've been wrestling for years. A huge part of collegiate wrestling is to be able to escape, and I never had a problem throughout my wrestling career getting out from the bottom. I like to move until I get free, so I'm going to try to move until I get free if he gets me down. I definitely won't be a victim of his laying and praying on you, just kind of stalling. I won't let that happen. I'm actually very excited, because Jake O'Brien is kind of a one-trick pony. I've never seen him properly defend a leg kick or any type of kick. I've never seen him properly throw any type of kick. So his kick knowledge is pretty slim, which is exciting for me. He's pretty much a boxer, so I've been really focusing on boxing. I would like to fight Jake O'Brien fight, which is basically having a boxing match with him and a wrestling match with him. ... It ought to be exciting where that's come, where that's progressed.
I think Machida is getting a lot of hype, and I know he has lots of big wins over a lot of big fighters, and a lot of experience over me. I don't think he's Christ; I think he's very beatable. They're looking at him and his karate like he's Bruce Lee. He's not Bruce Lee. He's very beatable. I honestly believe that a great Muay Thai champion will beat a great karate fighter any day; it's been proven on lots of occasions. If Machida has (the belt) by the time I get to that level, I'll be ready for him. I'll have a lot of game planning and a lot of strategy ready. I want to be that greater Muay Thai fighter to beat a great karate champion. I'm going to go out there and pull the trigger if I ever get to fight Machida. I respect him a lot, but I definitely think he's very beatable. I know I have a lot of time before I get to that level of fighting him, but when I do, I definitely won't be nervous or intimidated by him at all, and (I'll be) ready to fight him.
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